In this ongoing series we introduce you to songs that have (legally) borrowed, alluded to, been inspired by or stolen from (knowingly or unknowingly) the riff of another song. And we'll have plenty more for you in the weeks ahead... this week we look at a more obvious riff off, where the riff from the original was appropriated, by permission, for a future track - and within a very short period too I might add.

You may say we're flogging a dead horse on this one, and you might be right, but we thought we'd use the recent controversy surrounding Delta Goodrem and a certain Arcade Fire song to help re-introduce you to the series we launched last year: Song Riff Offs. In the series we introduce you to songs that have (legally) borrowed, alluded to, been inspired by or stolen from (knowingly or unknowingly) the riff of another song. And we'll have plenty more for you in the weeks ahead...

With Kanye West being no stranger to controversy in the media, he and his partner in crime, Jay-Z, are being accused of illegally sampling Syl Johnson's "The Different Stokes" on their song "Oh Joy", taken from their new album, Watch The Throne.

When I first heard the following track, my initial thought was "as lazy as the lyrics are, the music is pretty damn fantastic". While I could have guessed it was a sample, the extent to which Duck Sauce utilised the original actually quite surprised me. Here'e the original, which I'm sure you know well.

Back in February, I received the following e-mail. While many "riff offs" are a mutual, cordial affair - just as many have completely ripped off the original. For this installment of Song Riff Offs, I'll leave it in the capable hands of Kevin Saunderson, to explain why the following is such a perfect example of the "riff off".

In Song Riff Offs, we look at a popular recent song, and trace the riffs back to their origins. Today’s pick sees a small sample taken from the original that comprises the basis for the entire new track.

In our new series Song Riff Offs, we look at a popular recent song, and trace the riffs back to their origins. In the spirit of the Gary NumanPleasure Principle tour, we thought we'd kick things off with an oldy ... but a goody.